Two weeks from today, St. Louis County voters will have another chance to vote for a sales tax proposal to support public transit in the St. Louis region. Proposition A is a half-cent sales tax that is estimated will bring in $80 million per year and bolster Metro’s dire finances. Without the proposition’s passage, Metro says they will be forced to cut service by as much as 50% compared to pre-March 2009 levels. Passage of Proposition A will also trigger the enactment of a quarter-cent sales tax in the City of St. Louis which passed Proposition M in 1997.

It seems almost unfair that the million residents of mostly suburban St. Louis County will solely determine the fate of public transportation for the St. Louis region. Hopefully, come April 6, this map from November 2008 will become a little bluer.

Chart showing the November 2008 results for Proposition M in St. Louis County. Current and proposed MetroLink lines are overlaid in black.

At least the densest areas of the Metro voted Yes! Although we do need to significantly improve. I'm actually more confident this time around. I've always wondered why the city and county don't vote as a unified block like most Metropolitan areas. We really need a TDD.